Southport March 8, 2012
Caleb Wheeler(age 8), of Oak Island, with his first speckled trout, caught while he was fishing with Butch Wheeler.
Tommy, of The Tackle Box, reports that anglers are finding some action with red drum in the shallow creeks and bays on both sides of the river. The fish are somewhat spooky in the shallow water, so a quiet approach with a trolling motor or push pole is usually required in order to get close enough to cast to them. Gulp baits and other scented soft plastics are top choices for the reds, and anglers can also hook up while casting Clouser Minnows and crab imitations on fly rods. On days the fish are less active, natural baits like mud minnows may be all the reds will bite.
Surprisingly for this early in the year, a few keeper flounder have been feeding alongside the reds and falling for the same lures.
Some speckled trout are still being found around ICW structure and up in the creeks and rivers. A variety of soft plastic baits and suspending hard lures like MirrOlure MR17’s will tempt the trout to bite when anglers locate them.
Jimmy, of Wildlife Bait and Tackle, reports that speckled trout have moved far up the area creeks and rivers. Some are also feeding around the mouth of Wildlife Creek and the Oak Island Bridge (with reasonable numbers of 2-3 lb. keeper fish in all the spots). Anglers can connect with the specks while casting soft plastic baits on jigheads or MirrOlures and other hardbaits.
Some smaller puppy drum are mixed in with the trout and falling for the same lures (with an occasional slot fish).
Butch Spivey, of Wilmington, with a 28" red drum he caught and released near Bald Head Island after it struck a shrimp.
Sea mullet have begun to show up around the mouth of the Cape Fear River, and the tasty panfish have trouble turning down a bottom rig baited with cut shrimp.
John, of Dutchman’s Creek Bait and Tackle reports that with the mild winter and 70 degree days ahead, it shouldn’t be long until spring fishing is in full swing. Anglers can expect speckled trout and red drum to be some of the first available targets, and both will take an interest in live baits or soft plastics fished in the creeks and marshes.
Pier and surf anglers are mostly catching dogfish and skates right now, but it won’t be long until pufferfish, sea mullet, and other tasty bottom dwellers join in.
The sea mullet should also begin schooling around the mouth of the river in the next few weeks, and anglers soaking bottom rigs baited with cut shrimp will have little trouble connecting with the panfish.
Tommy, of Oak Island Pier, reports that anglers are catching some healthy whiting while bottom fishing from the pier with shrimp and other baits. Some bluefish and even a few flounder are in the mix with the mullet.
Kevin Neely, of Wilmington, with a 25" red drum that struck a Blurp soft plastic in a creek near Southport while he was fishing with Capt. John Renn of Rennegade Guide Service.
There’s lots of bait in the water and birds working around the pier, so it’s shaping up to be an early and productive spring season.
Vance, of Ocean Crest Pier, reports that anglers are decking some pufferfish and sea mullet from the planks. Shrimp and squid are both striking their fancy.
The water is already near 60 degrees, so it won’t be long until spring fishing has arrived in earnest.
